Drunk Cop Frees 13 Suspects from Custody for New Year Bash
A Zambian police officer has caused a national controversy after reportedly releasing 13 detainees from a police station on New Year’s Eve while drunk. The officer, Detective Inspector Titus Phiri, was allegedly intoxicated when he let the suspects out of the Leonard Cheelo Police Station in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia.
According to police spokesperson Rae Hamoonga, Phiri forcefully took the keys to the holding cells from Constable Serah Banda and then unlocked both the male and female cells. He told the detainees they were free to go, allowing them to leave the station to celebrate the new year.
Out of the 15 people in custody, 13 managed to escape. The individuals were facing serious charges, including assault, robbery, and burglary, which raised concerns about the officer’s actions.
“Detective Inspector Phiri unlocked the cells and told the suspects they were free to cross into the new year. Thirteen of them escaped,” Hamoonga said. After releasing the detainees, Phiri fled the scene.
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Authorities have launched an operation to find the escaped individuals, calling the officer’s actions a breach of public trust and a threat to community safety. Inspector Phiri was later arrested and is currently in police custody, awaiting legal action.
The Zambia Police Service has condemned the officer’s behavior, stressing its commitment to maintaining law and order and vowing to take strong action against any officers who abuse their power.
In a similar incident, a police officer in Kenya was arrested for being drunk while assigned to oversee exams at Kimonio Primary School in the Marioshoni area.
The officer, identified as Joshua Kimathi Milikau, was reported missing by the center manager, Elijah Biwott, who found him sleeping in the teachers’ quarters.
Milikau appeared intoxicated, and he was disarmed. Richard Mburu was then assigned to take over the officer’s duties during the English composition exam.
Drunk Cop Frees 13 Suspects from Custody for New Year Bash
